Wedding Survey Reveals Trend Towards Web

New survey reveals a trend towards use of the web for preparing and celebrating weddings. It all starts with the engagement status. Within hours of saying “yes,” 28% of brides-to-be update their social media statuses while 24% do so the next day. And before saying their “I dos,” brides heavily rely on sites like Pinterest, Facebook and other online wedding tools for inspiration.

These accessible and inexpensive resources have dramatically changed how new ideas are discovered. It turns out that 70% of brides were already pinning on Pinterest before getting engaged, and a whopping 89% make use of all sorts of wedding planning apps — making checklists, browsing gowns, staying organised and tracking countdowns.

Couples are also turning to apps like Spotify to find the perfect first dance song and create memorable playlists for their wedding reception. About 74% used online websites for wedding music. And since social networks have become so ingrained into wedding culture, it’s no surprise that couples are welcoming hashtags into their ceremonies and receptions. More than half (55%) used a wedding hashtag, and 20% encouraged their guests to use their hashtag by sharing it on ceremony programs.

As a result, wedding etiquette has taken on a whole new meaning. For example, “Should we let people snap photos and post them right away?” Thirty-one percent are limiting guests from sharing on social media, while 35% have mixed feelings about guests posting photos. But for the most part, couples enjoy seeing their wedding photos on social media. Others — 68% — say they want to see photos posted in real-time.